How Has the Guild of Benevolence Helped Those in Need...

The son of an IMarEST member was born with ‘Treacher Collins Syndrome’, which meant that he was without external ears. Aged 17 years, the Guild funded the hospital equipment needed to provide him with a bone anchored hearing aid.

A retired overseas marine engineer developed a serious health problem requiring regular hospital treatment. The nearest treatment centre was a 300km round trip by car. The Guild provided a regular grant to help with expenses and paid for occasional repairs to his car.

An IMarEST member was badly burned with petrol during an accident whilst refuelling his car. The Guild arranged for him to undergo reconstructive surgery, paying for his accommodation whilst he was in the UK.

An elderly widow could no longer walk into her local village to shop and visit the library. The Guild funded the purchase of an electric mobility buggy to enable her to retain her independence.

Introduction

History

Trustees

Funding

Apply for Assistance

Introducing the Guild of Benevolence

The Guild of Benevolence is an organisation with the objective of granting assistance to persons from the marine community, and their dependents, who are in need.

What help does the Guild provide?

Making regular grants to supplement a very low income.

The current weekly grant should not affect either entitlement to state benefits or income tax liabilities.

Helping with shortfalls in reasonable nursing home fees.

Making single lump sum grants to assist in the purchase of costly items that are essential for the recipient’s wellbeing.

Assisting with the cost of essential home repairs.

Assisting with essential and reasonable funeral expenses in excess of any state contribution.

Assisting with costs of respite care.

Assisting with debt relief.

Who qualifies for help?

Past and present members of The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) or of The Guild of Benevolence.

Marine engineers who possess, or have possessed, Certificates of Competency or Certificates of Service issued by the relevant governmental department or agency, or equivalent qualifications.

Past and present employees of the IMarEST or of the Guild.

The wives, husbands, widows, widowers, dependent children or other dependent relatives of any person qualifying under any of the above categories.

The Committee has sole discretion to decide who are proper subjects for relief and whether or not they are covered by the above descriptions.

What is the significance of the Guild of Benevolence Logo?

The Guild Logo was produced by the IMarEST Production Manager. The bright light represents the heroic efforts of the Titanic Engineers who stayed at their posts maintaining electrical power thus keeping the lights on throughout the ship and in doing so reduced the danger of panic among the passengers. Power to the radio office was also continued enabling the transmission of distress signals until minutes before the ship sank beneath the waves.

History of the Guild

The heroism and bravery of the marine engineers who remained at their posts when RMS Titanic sank on 15th April 1912 is commemorated by the bronze plaque which can now be seen on display in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.

The Guild originated from the Fund set up in 1912 by the Institute in co-operation with the Daily Chronicle to help families of the engineer officers of the RMS TITANIC that sank on 15 April 1912, after striking an iceberg in mid-Atlantic.

All 35 men from Chief Engineer to the Engineer’s Clerk, together with the ship’s designer and two engineers from Harland & Wolff lost their lives. The ‘TITANIC’ Engineering Staff Memorial Benevolent Fund, admin-istered by The Institute of Marine Engineers, was expanded in 1934 in response to bereavements and hardships resulting from the 1914-18 conflict and became The Institute of Marine Engineers Guild of Benevolence.

Since then the role of the Guild has further developed to assist more generally in the relief of hardship for marine engineers and their dependents and in 2001 adopted its present name to coincide with that of the Institute. In 1989 The Marine Engineers Benevolent Fund (MEBF) was incorporated into the Guild. This was once a separate charity founded by the merger of three smaller charities, namely The Marine Engineers Association Benevolent Fund, the King George’s Fund (War Fund) and the Inverclyde Bequest Fund. MEBF funds were exhausted in 2005. As a result the regular and one-off grants previously payable from the MEBF were transferred to the Guild during that year.

Guild Trustees

The Guild has twelve Trustees who form the Committee of Management, which manages the affairs of the Guild, and are elected by members of the Guild. The Trustees carry out the administrative work with the help of a secretarial assistant and services provided by the IMarEST.

Where does the money come from?

The Guild receives donations from individual members and from branches of the Institute, in addition to donations made by companies. A regular income is also derived from the Guild’s investment portfolio. Occasionally the Guild is a beneficiary of a legacy in remembrance of a loved-one.

Where do beneficiaries come from and how are they found?

Most of the people helped by the Guild live in the United Kingdom. However, as the IMarEST is an international organisation, an increasing number of Institute members resident overseas, or their dependents, have benefited from the Guild’s help. The Guild of Benevolence is a constituent member of the Charities Committee of the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB) and frequently marine engineers and their dependents that are in need of help are referred to the Guild from other maritime bodies associated with the MNWB.

Potential beneficiaries are also referred to the Guild by the Royal British Legion; The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association – Forces Help (SSAFA Forces Help); The Officers’ Association; various Royal Naval Benevolent Funds; Occupational Benevolent Funds Association; Royal Merchant Navy Schools Foundation; and local social services departments. Recommendations are also received from IMarEST members who, in the course of their professional or social lives, become aware of hardship cases. The Guild also advertises its services via the IMarEST and directly through the medium of maritime journals and aid directories.

Apply for Assistance...

You will need to complete a form to confirm membership of the IMarEST or provide details of the sea service as a Marine Engineer of the person on whom eligibility is based.

Supporting evidence of sea service (e.g. Discharge Book) helps speed up consideration of an application.

You will also be asked to provide details of your financial status, including income & expenditure, any savings and other relevant information to enable the Guild Trustees to decide whether they can help.

You should also expect to receive a home visit from a Guild representative who will assist you in completing the application form. All information provided is treated in confidence and will not be passed on to others without your permission.

If the Trustees find that you have a need with which the Guild cannot help you will be told and, if possible, advised of other organisations that may be able to help.

Postal Donations

Giving By Legacy

Pecuniary +

This is a simple form of legacy giving a specified amount of money to a named individual or organisation and is easy to administer. However, it does have the drawback in that inflation will reduce the monetary value of such a legacy.

Residuary +

This involves leaving all or part of the net residue of an estate after all pecuniary legacy, debts, fees and other charges have been met. Therefore, there is no requirement to quantify the amount to be left or to take into account the effect of inflation.

Conditional +

This is suitable for those who would not otherwise wish to bequeath any of their estate to the Guild. It provides an alternative to an estate going to the Crown in the event that none of the named dependents or other beneficiaries survives the deceased. In this event the entire estate would be given over to the Guild as the ultimate beneficiary.

Specific +

If a person is a beneficiary under a Will, all or part of the inheritance may be transferred to the Guild by means of a ‘Deed of Variation’.

Amounts transferred in this manner are free from inheritance tax, thus giving the Guild the opportunity of benefitting during that persons lifetime.

What Next? +

Decide which type of gift you wish to leave to the Guild.

Consult your chosen Solicitor. Arrange for your Solicitor or friends / family to act as executors of your estate. Download and complete the Legacy Pledge Form and send to:

The Honorary SecretaryGuild of Benevolence of the IMarEST1 Birdcage WalkLondon, SW1H 9JJUnited Kingdom